Churches of Christ choir competition

This was a new event for the Nairobi Churches which was held on 10th April, to celebrate the Easter holiday. Ten churches participated in with great anticipation. Each church sung 3 songs, 2 songs were practiced songs to perfection and the third song was a composed song, for Kamulu church, Francis Mbuvi helped to compose a song that the group practiced and performed.

All participating churches got a Certificate of participation and the winners were given awards. Some of our students are in the Kamulu church choir, the rest are members of the church.

We came in fourth position in the first set and third position in the second set. A certificate was also given on these achievements. We give God all the glory for every opportunity to sing and praise him with other christians within Nairobi.

With the success of this event a conclusion was reached that it be done every year.

Eastleigh program update

Monday programs the mothers have been coming in numbers. The numbers are 40-50. The teachings have been effective. The teachers have made teachings to be as simple sa the mothers can understand. We, the team once rewarded those who try to improve in the programs by taking them to see animals.

In the bible lessons there is a bible quiz where by mothers answer questions and the best five they are given a shopping voucher to buy food. This will make them desire to read and learn the word of God even in their free time.
The small children have been also coming in large numbers especially this month they recess from school for April holidays. They have improved in ways such as washing hands before meals, praying before meals and the best improvement is that they have learned to stopped being abusive and using vulgar language. Most of the single street mothers are in school and that has made them feel valued and their parents are taking the responsibility of taking them to school.

In the teenage boys program they have been 15-20 boys, they were once also taken to see animals and they felt good about it. The coming month we will start to celebrate their birthdays and this is to make them feel good about their days of birth rather than cursing it. This time of celebrations will be to give them hope of living and reminding them the good future God has planned for them.

The big boys have been coming in numbers of 85-95. The team has started to look for National Ids for another group. This helps them find jobs and they can be trusted in the jobs areas. The team is also encouraging them to save their money in bank accounts. There are some banks where they can deposit as little they get. This is to encourage them so save rather than using their money in drugs and other bad ways. One of them was baptized on 9th April 24, 2009.

The girls have not been coming in big numbers: those who have been coming are those who go to school and we are proud of them because they chose to go to school rather than roaming in streets. It wasn’t an easy thing to convince them but the team tried to show them the importance of going to school.

Base visits and Birthday party

The teenage mothers at Eastleigh have had a lot of progress. They have improved especially in their behaviors they have learn t how to

appreciate, respect

themselves and their children. Today we

celebrated Catherine’s, Brian’s and Teresa’s birthday and it was wonderful although for Catherine is still very shy.

During this month the bases visited were Mlango-kubwa, lilliput, Redeem, Rounder, Chai-road, California Base, Jamaica and Gikomba . Teaching them about change which starts has to start from their minds. Most of them come to the daily programs and from there they accept change. There 16 of those in college they are mixed mothers, girls and big boys and we are proud of what they are achieving which will benefit their later life back in the society. On 18^th April 2009 they were taken to see animals and had real fun this was the best team. Those in college they are now in attachment this is enable them to have good experience in their different courses.

Easter Eggs with the Sunday school Children

Every year during Easter times, the children from the center as well as those in the community coming to church, look forward to the painting of the eggs and hiding sweets so that they can hunt for them. Its a time we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, what he did for us on the cross. The children usually have a good time painting the eggs different colors, have egg fighting with each other and learn more about the cross. We also talk about passover and what that meant to the Jewish community because it also fall around this time.
When Charles and Darlene are around, we usually do the passover ceremony which is an ancient tradition of the Jews. The students love that very much. I hope we will do a late ceremony so that they new kids can also enjoy this ancient tradition.
Joel.

Prize giving day!

For most of the regular schools in our country right now, kids are having a break from school until next month when they resume classes but for us here, we still go on with our schedule although we had a week to rest during the Easter holiday. The kids then got a day to visit their families and relatives in Eastleigh and Mathare and also those whose families live around Nairobi and they really had a good time doing that.
As we continue with our classes, we had a chance to reward some of the kids that performed well in the literacy classes and rotation from the quarterly exam that they got to do this past month. We thought it would be a good idea so that they can be enthusiastic in their studies and their daily life here at MITS. They performed very well by the way and it was fun seeing them being proud of their achievements as they got their prizes. David Mutimbi and Anthony Githinji were in position one and two respectively in literacy one. In literacy two we had Edward Muhia and Duncan Mwangi coming position one and two and in fast track class, Alex and Joseph Mburu were number one and two. For the number ones, they got a nice bed cover for their beds and number two a nice bag pack. We also rewarded the most improved students in the classes and for literacy one, it was Joseph Nderitu, literacy two it was Elizabeth Wanjiku and fast track it was Mary Muthoni. They all got a classy watch. For our most hardworking student in rotation and skills the prize went to Dennis Kamau who also got a watch and for the most hardworking student in all areas the prize went to Willis Odhiambo. The leadership prize for the month went to Sarah Aono for being our bell ringer in the past six months.she got a very nice, all glass picture frame to keep in the dorm. From this experience we can tell that it has really challenged the kids especially those in rotation and now they are putting more effort in reading and studying in their spare times and we continue to encourage them to keep on keeping on.

by phillipo.

Visitors to Made in The Streets

At Made in the Streets we are so delighted to have visitors who help us in ministry. Our theory is that Americans come full of good stuff and we squeeze them like a sponge!! Then they can go off on safari and feel really good about seeing the animals and living in splendor!

There are certain experiences we want each one of you to have -- spend time on the streets with kids who sleep there and see what Eastleigh and Mathare Valley are, spend time in our classes and do some training and teaching while with us, and spend time with the Team and students at work and play and in their free time in order to know them well. Some visitors have great expertise in certain areas, and these can be very helpful to us in development as well.

Because we have a large number of visitors, there are certain "rules" we need everyone to follow so we can have maximum impact on Team and students and street youth.

1. We want groups to arrive on the same flight and depart on the same flight, and we want you to arrive in the morning if you can arrange it. But arriving at night is still okay.

2. Follow the lead of the Team. Please do not plan something with the students that has not been okayed by the Team or that interferes with what a dorm supervisor or a teacher wants the kids to do.

3. Try not to schedule any side trips or other activities that require a Team member to go off-campus when he or she has responsibilities (clear anything with Francis Mbuvi first).

4. If you have a need to smoke or drink alcohol and you don't think you can absolutely leave it out of your life during the trip, then please do not plan to come.

5. Do not talk to the Team or the kids about "visiting America." They may bring it up, but you do not have to respond. Especially do not encourage them to desire coming to America. Do not spend a lot of time talking about the good life in America. Focus on the kids and the Team and their own futures in Kenya.

6. We basically have a "no date" rule. It is common especially for young people to "fall in love" with people they meet in the world who are near their age. Please focus on the mission! If two who are dating are coming on the same trip, or engaged people, then we would want to have sessions about dating and marriage with the kids so as to make it a positive influence.

7. If you are a male, do not go inside the girls' dorm or private area, even if you are a married person staying on the girls' property. If you want to see a dorm, ask a dorm supervisor to show you.

8. Kenyans do not touch and hug as much as Americans (you may have noted recently in American newspapers about problems in schools relating to touch and many have instituted a 'no touch' rule for the students). So, please restrict hugs to "a quick hug" when you arrive or when you leave to return home. Kenyans, even our young people, feel more comfortable and proper holding hands with an age mate of the same sex than with the opposite sex. Since our students have been sexually active and some have been abused, it is better if we leave American styles of affection out of the equation.

9. If you are over 30 and a woman, it is important that you wear skirts or dresses (even college age women should when they go into Eastleigh). Note in the "team and student" blog that our kids' school uniforms have skirts for the girls and slacks for the boys. Also wear tops with sleeves. There are important reasons for this; just ask, and we will tell you.

Thanks for wanting to come, all you MITS Visitors! You are all MITS VIPs to us and very important to our future. We can't do it without you, so please come. Ask, and we will send you our Visitors' Manual as well.

By Charles and Darlene Coulston